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adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The phantoms, for so they then seemed, were flitting on the other side of the deck, and, with a noiseless celerity, were casting loose the tackles and bands of the boat which swung there.
account
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From this reading This boat had always been deemed one of the spare boats, though technically called the captain’s, on account of its hanging from the starboard quarter.
always
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From this reading This boat had always been deemed one of the spare boats, though technically called the captain’s, on account of its hanging from the starboard quarter.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The phantoms, for so they then seemed, were flitting on the other side of the deck, and, with a noiseless celerity, were casting loose the tackles and bands of the boat which swung there.
bands
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From this reading The phantoms, for so they then seemed, were flitting on the other side of the deck, and, with a noiseless celerity, were casting loose the tackles and bands of the boat which swung there.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading This boat had always been deemed one of the spare boats, though technically called the captain’s, on account of its hanging from the starboard quarter.
black
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From this reading A rumpled Chinese jacket of black cotton funereally invested him, with wide black trowsers of the same dark stuff.
boat
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From this reading The phantoms, for so they then seemed, were flitting on the other side of the deck, and, with a noiseless celerity, were casting loose the tackles and bands of the boat which swung there.
boats
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From this reading This boat had always been deemed one of the spare boats, though technically called the captain’s, on account of its hanging from the starboard quarter.
bows
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From this reading The figure that now stood by its bows was tall and swart, with one white tooth evilly protruding from its steel-like lips.
braided
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From this reading But strangely crowning this ebonness was a glistening white plaited turban, the living hair braided and coiled round and round upon his head.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But strangely crowning this ebonness was a glistening white plaited turban, the living hair braided and coiled round and round upon his head.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The figure that now stood by its bows was tall and swart, with one white tooth evilly protruding from its steel-like lips.
called
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From this reading This boat had always been deemed one of the spare boats, though technically called the captain’s, on account of its hanging from the starboard quarter.
captain's
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From this reading This boat had always been deemed one of the spare boats, though technically called the captain’s, on account of its hanging from the starboard quarter.
casting
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From this reading The phantoms, for so they then seemed, were flitting on the other side of the deck, and, with a noiseless celerity, were casting loose the tackles and bands of the boat which swung there.
celerity
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From this reading The phantoms, for so they then seemed, were flitting on the other side of the deck, and, with a noiseless celerity, were casting loose the tackles and bands of the boat which swung there.
Chinese
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From this reading A rumpled Chinese jacket of black cotton funereally invested him, with wide black trowsers of the same dark stuff.
coiled
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From this reading But strangely crowning this ebonness was a glistening white plaited turban, the living hair braided and coiled round and round upon his head.
cotton
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From this reading A rumpled Chinese jacket of black cotton funereally invested him, with wide black trowsers of the same dark stuff.
crowning
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From this reading But strangely crowning this ebonness was a glistening white plaited turban, the living hair braided and coiled round and round upon his head.
dark
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A rumpled Chinese jacket of black cotton funereally invested him, with wide black trowsers of the same dark stuff.
deck
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From this reading The phantoms, for so they then seemed, were flitting on the other side of the deck, and, with a noiseless celerity, were casting loose the tackles and bands of the boat which swung there.
deemed
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From this reading This boat had always been deemed one of the spare boats, though technically called the captain’s, on account of its hanging from the starboard quarter.
ebonness
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From this reading But strangely crowning this ebonness was a glistening white plaited turban, the living hair braided and coiled round and round upon his head.
evilly
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From this reading The figure that now stood by its bows was tall and swart, with one white tooth evilly protruding from its steel-like lips.
figure
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From this reading The figure that now stood by its bows was tall and swart, with one white tooth evilly protruding from its steel-like lips.
flitting
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From this reading The phantoms, for so they then seemed, were flitting on the other side of the deck, and, with a noiseless celerity, were casting loose the tackles and bands of the boat which swung there.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The phantoms, for so they then seemed, were flitting on the other side of the deck, and, with a noiseless celerity, were casting loose the tackles and bands of the boat which swung there.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading This boat had always been deemed one of the spare boats, though technically called the captain’s, on account of its hanging from the starboard quarter.
funereally
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From this reading A rumpled Chinese jacket of black cotton funereally invested him, with wide black trowsers of the same dark stuff.
glistening
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From this reading But strangely crowning this ebonness was a glistening white plaited turban, the living hair braided and coiled round and round upon his head.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading This boat had always been deemed one of the spare boats, though technically called the captain’s, on account of its hanging from the starboard quarter.
hair
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But strangely crowning this ebonness was a glistening white plaited turban, the living hair braided and coiled round and round upon his head.
hanging
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From this reading This boat had always been deemed one of the spare boats, though technically called the captain’s, on account of its hanging from the starboard quarter.
head
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But strangely crowning this ebonness was a glistening white plaited turban, the living hair braided and coiled round and round upon his head.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading A rumpled Chinese jacket of black cotton funereally invested him, with wide black trowsers of the same dark stuff.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading But strangely crowning this ebonness was a glistening white plaited turban, the living hair braided and coiled round and round upon his head.
invested
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From this reading A rumpled Chinese jacket of black cotton funereally invested him, with wide black trowsers of the same dark stuff.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading This boat had always been deemed one of the spare boats, though technically called the captain’s, on account of its hanging from the starboard quarter.
jacket
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A rumpled Chinese jacket of black cotton funereally invested him, with wide black trowsers of the same dark stuff.
lips
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From this reading The figure that now stood by its bows was tall and swart, with one white tooth evilly protruding from its steel-like lips.
living
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But strangely crowning this ebonness was a glistening white plaited turban, the living hair braided and coiled round and round upon his head.
loose
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From this reading The phantoms, for so they then seemed, were flitting on the other side of the deck, and, with a noiseless celerity, were casting loose the tackles and bands of the boat which swung there.
noiseless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The phantoms, for so they then seemed, were flitting on the other side of the deck, and, with a noiseless celerity, were casting loose the tackles and bands of the boat which swung there.
now
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From this reading The figure that now stood by its bows was tall and swart, with one white tooth evilly protruding from its steel-like lips.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The phantoms, for so they then seemed, were flitting on the other side of the deck, and, with a noiseless celerity, were casting loose the tackles and bands of the boat which swung there.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The phantoms, for so they then seemed, were flitting on the other side of the deck, and, with a noiseless celerity, were casting loose the tackles and bands of the boat which swung there.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading This boat had always been deemed one of the spare boats, though technically called the captain’s, on account of its hanging from the starboard quarter.
other
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From this reading The phantoms, for so they then seemed, were flitting on the other side of the deck, and, with a noiseless celerity, were casting loose the tackles and bands of the boat which swung there.
phantomsnounUS /ˈfæntəmz/
plural of “phantom” — a ghostly appearing figure
From this reading The phantoms, for so they then seemed, were flitting on the other side of the deck, and, with a noiseless celerity, were casting loose the tackles and bands of the boat which swung there.
plaited
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But strangely crowning this ebonness was a glistening white plaited turban, the living hair braided and coiled round and round upon his head.
protruding
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From this reading The figure that now stood by its bows was tall and swart, with one white tooth evilly protruding from its steel-like lips.
quarter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This boat had always been deemed one of the spare boats, though technically called the captain’s, on account of its hanging from the starboard quarter.
round
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But strangely crowning this ebonness was a glistening white plaited turban, the living hair braided and coiled round and round upon his head.
rumpled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A rumpled Chinese jacket of black cotton funereally invested him, with wide black trowsers of the same dark stuff.
samenounUS /same/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading A rumpled Chinese jacket of black cotton funereally invested him, with wide black trowsers of the same dark stuff.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The phantoms, for so they then seemed, were flitting on the other side of the deck, and, with a noiseless celerity, were casting loose the tackles and bands of the boat which swung there.
side
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The phantoms, for so they then seemed, were flitting on the other side of the deck, and, with a noiseless celerity, were casting loose the tackles and bands of the boat which swung there.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The phantoms, for so they then seemed, were flitting on the other side of the deck, and, with a noiseless celerity, were casting loose the tackles and bands of the boat which swung there.
spare
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This boat had always been deemed one of the spare boats, though technically called the captain’s, on account of its hanging from the starboard quarter.
starboard
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From this reading This boat had always been deemed one of the spare boats, though technically called the captain’s, on account of its hanging from the starboard quarter.
steel-like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The figure that now stood by its bows was tall and swart, with one white tooth evilly protruding from its steel-like lips.
stoodnounUS /stood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The figure that now stood by its bows was tall and swart, with one white tooth evilly protruding from its steel-like lips.
strangelynounUS /ˈstrangely/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading But strangely crowning this ebonness was a glistening white plaited turban, the living hair braided and coiled round and round upon his head.
stuff
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A rumpled Chinese jacket of black cotton funereally invested him, with wide black trowsers of the same dark stuff.
swart
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The figure that now stood by its bows was tall and swart, with one white tooth evilly protruding from its steel-like lips.
swung
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From this reading The phantoms, for so they then seemed, were flitting on the other side of the deck, and, with a noiseless celerity, were casting loose the tackles and bands of the boat which swung there.
tackles
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The phantoms, for so they then seemed, were flitting on the other side of the deck, and, with a noiseless celerity, were casting loose the tackles and bands of the boat which swung there.
tall
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From this reading The figure that now stood by its bows was tall and swart, with one white tooth evilly protruding from its steel-like lips.
technically
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From this reading This boat had always been deemed one of the spare boats, though technically called the captain’s, on account of its hanging from the starboard quarter.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The figure that now stood by its bows was tall and swart, with one white tooth evilly protruding from its steel-like lips.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The phantoms, for so they then seemed, were flitting on the other side of the deck, and, with a noiseless celerity, were casting loose the tackles and bands of the boat which swung there.
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The phantoms, for so they then seemed, were flitting on the other side of the deck, and, with a noiseless celerity, were casting loose the tackles and bands of the boat which swung there.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The phantoms, for so they then seemed, were flitting on the other side of the deck, and, with a noiseless celerity, were casting loose the tackles and bands of the boat which swung there.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The phantoms, for so they then seemed, were flitting on the other side of the deck, and, with a noiseless celerity, were casting loose the tackles and bands of the boat which swung there.
ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This boat had always been deemed one of the spare boats, though technically called the captain’s, on account of its hanging from the starboard quarter.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading This boat had always been deemed one of the spare boats, though technically called the captain’s, on account of its hanging from the starboard quarter.
tooth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The figure that now stood by its bows was tall and swart, with one white tooth evilly protruding from its steel-like lips.
trowsers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A rumpled Chinese jacket of black cotton funereally invested him, with wide black trowsers of the same dark stuff.
turban
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But strangely crowning this ebonness was a glistening white plaited turban, the living hair braided and coiled round and round upon his head.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading But strangely crowning this ebonness was a glistening white plaited turban, the living hair braided and coiled round and round upon his head.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The figure that now stood by its bows was tall and swart, with one white tooth evilly protruding from its steel-like lips.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The phantoms, for so they then seemed, were flitting on the other side of the deck, and, with a noiseless celerity, were casting loose the tackles and bands of the boat which swung there.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The phantoms, for so they then seemed, were flitting on the other side of the deck, and, with a noiseless celerity, were casting loose the tackles and bands of the boat which swung there.
white
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The figure that now stood by its bows was tall and swart, with one white tooth evilly protruding from its steel-like lips.
wide
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A rumpled Chinese jacket of black cotton funereally invested him, with wide black trowsers of the same dark stuff.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The phantoms, for so they then seemed, were flitting on the other side of the deck, and, with a noiseless celerity, were casting loose the tackles and bands of the boat which swung there.
